I Do
by queserasera00
Summary: Lucy has dreamt about her perfect wedding since she was a little girl. So when her big day comes, she is sadly disappointed when her father's ghost seems to haunt her every move. Will her wedding end in disaster? Or will a certain man and two words help her? (This is for EsteVamp4998's FT writing challenge!)


Alright this is for challenge number 2 in EsteVamp4998's Fairy Tail writing challenge!

If you guys haven't heard this song, you should go check it out. :) 'Gone' by Maegan White. It's an original song she wrote for her dad who committed suicide a few years ago. I changed a few words and only kept some verses, but that's because if I kept everything, it wouldn't make sense.

-xkx-

_Tell me was I running through your mind?_

_Did you take the time to realize what you were leaving behind?_

Lucy stared into the mirror at her reflection, blinking at the small blonde child gazing back evenly. The little girl had a great pain written all over face: it was evident by the way her shoulders sagged as if under some tremendous weight, by the purple bags beneath her eyes, and by the sadness leaking with the endless tears from her tired eyes.

The little girl was enduring a grief so great, Lucy could barely stand to look at her. But she couldn't understand why because the little girl was _Lucy._ It was the day past her birthday, and her father hadn't spoken a word to her for almost a week.

She missed her dad. She missed her mom. She was lonely.

"Lucy?"

Lucy tore her gaze from the floor-length mirror to smile weakly at her happy best friend. "Hi! How do I look?"

Levy squealed, barely stopping herself from throwing her arms around her and ruining her hair, and gushed. "Oh, Lu-chan, you look absolutely stunning!"

Lucy giggled softly. "Thank you, Levy. Because of you, I honestly feel like a princess."

Her friend winked in response. "Hey, that's what the maid of honor is here for."

Lucy forced her smile to remain and fought the incredible urge to look back into the mirror toward the small, vulnerable girl.

"Lucy? Are you feeling okay?"

Levy took a small step forward and placed a hand on her forehead lightly. Before Lucy could answer, though, Loke burst into the room wild-eyed, immediately finding Lucy.

"Lucy! It's time!" He cried, stopping briefly to ogle at her beauty.

Lucy turned and looked into the mirror forlornly, studying the child once more.

Her dad should be here. He should be walking her down the isle. Not Loke.

Why was it Loke?

"Lucy, come on!" Came Loke's voice, an elbow nudging her upper arm.

Lucy shook her head clear until her present reflection was displayed on the mirror. Her hair was pulled into a braided bun, the loose strands curled into spirals that framed her face perfectly. The makeup Levy applied made her eyes seem larger, her cheek bones higher, her lips fuller. And her wedding dress, the one her mother had worn, was nothing short of perfection. White lace and floor-length, the flowery dress hugged her curves tightly and complimented her body figure well.

She wondered if her mother looked like this when she married her father.

Lucy sighed in slight frustration, turning around to find Levy gone and Loke waiting with his arm held out expectantly.

She looped her left arm with his quietly, and they began their slow walk down the isle.

It was her wedding day. It was supposed to be perfect. So why was the only thing running through her mind the fact that Loke's arm was around hers, and not her father's?

_'Cause Daddy, I miss you._

_I miss you so bad. _

_And even though we didn't have a lot of time,_

_I miss the times we had._

The men in tuxedos smiled cheerily as the bride neared them and gave her a quick thumbs up before opening the large church doors.

The traditional wedding music began instantly, and Lucy found her eyes drawn not to the crowd nor to the overly done decorations (thanks Mira), but to the oynx eyes of her groom as she and Loke continued their walk down the church isle.

Natsu could be hard to read sometimes, especially in romantic affairs, but his wide grin, twinkling eyes, and the way he took the ever so smallest step toward her was enough to shoot a hundred butterflies into her stomach.

She found him to be contagious, and her first genuine smile of the day spread across her face. Memories of their relationship flew through her mind, and Lucy vaguely wondered if her father would approve.

Her smile dropped immediately, and she gave a side-long glance at Loke. That should be her father. Her father should be here with her. He was always meant to be here. This was her wedding, for God's sake!

She hesitantly met Natsu's eyes again, but quickly diverted them when she saw his smile had been replaced with confusion and concern, his slightly narrowed eyes watching her every move.

She kept her eyes on the floor, murmuring a soft 'thank you' as Loke kissed her cheek and nudged her to stand in front of Natsu.

_That should be her father._

Taking the three small steps slowly, Lucy faced her groom with her head still down. Not listening to the priest as he began reciting vows, Lucy bit her lip, feeling Natsu's hard stare gaze at the top of her forehead.

But she could feel the tears swimming beneath her now closed eyelids and refused to allow him to see her cry on their wedding day. The problem was, as soon as she had unconciously closed her eyes, the image of _his_ face in her mind was a hundred times clearer. She could not only see her memories, she could _feel _them.

A single tear slid down her cheek and landed on the cool tile with a quiet _plat_. Followed by another and then another.

_Plat._

_Plat._

_Plat._

Maybe... Maybe if she had never joined Fairy Tail, her dad would still be alive. He would be at her wedding. If she had just done what he asked of her. If only she had been a good daughter, maybe he would have been healthier and less stressed out. Maybe he would still be alive.

But no Fairy Tail would mean no Natsu...

_Oh, it's taking every ounce of strength_

_Not to blame myself_

_If I'd wrapped my arms around you_

_If I had held on tight_

_Maybe laugh when you seemed so wrung on_

_Maybe you wouldn't be gone._

"Lucy?" She heard Natsu ask quietly, gently lifting her chin up so she would face him.

She wiped her cheeks furiously, still averting her gaze. "S-Sorry. What was that?"

The priest cleared his throat loudly, glaring at her as if she was making him look bad. "Lucy Heartfilia, do you take Natsu Dragneel to be your lawfully wedded husband?"

An overwhelming emotion that Lucy couldn't name surged throughout her at those words. She looked at Natsu with wide eyes, her mouth opening as if her body urged her to say something.

Natsu was watching her quietly, love and sadness displayed clearly across his expression, his eyebrows hitched in confusion.

And then it hit her. Lucy was hesitating. She could feel the imaginative clock ticking and the weird looks from all her Nakama. Why was she hesitating? This was her Natsu, and she loved him with her whole heart. _Say something!_

"I do!" She blurted a little too loudly, and Natsu let out a loud breath of relief. Oh man, had he thought she was hesitating in marrying him?

But that wasn't it. She swore that wasn't it. She loved him so much, but she didn't want the day to end. It was as if she half expected her father to still show up. To come back to life, even for a day, and attend the most important moment of her life.

_Her father should be there._

More tears fell down her cheek, and Lucy felt Natsu's callused fingers wipe them away gently. Tilting her face to him, Natsu peered into her eyes and smiled sadly, whispering, "I do."

She hadn't heard the priest ask Natsu the question, but the two short simple words instantly created a wave of radiant adoration and joy that dominated every ounce of grief within her.

"I now pronounce thee husband and wife."

The priest's bible slammed to her left.

Their large audience, including all of her Nakama from Fairy Tail, leaped up and threw their hats and purses in joy, all shouting in unison, "YOU MAY NOW KISS THE BRIDE."

Lucy's face cracked into the largest smile of her life, and she threw herself into Natsu, wrapping her arms around his neck and crushing her lips to his.

He caught her easily, just like he always had, like he always would.

Natsu was her hero, her rock, her best friend...

And now her husband.

She silently (and surprisingly without a trace of sadness) wished her dad could have been there, but she knew that he was watching somewhere far away, with her mother tucked into his side.

_'Cause Daddy I miss you..._

-xkx-

Did this on my iPad (what what) so sorry if there are mistakes! Hope you liked it, and my heart goes out to all of you who have ever lost a parent! One of my teachers unexpectedly lost his wife (they were actually leaving the hospital from a normal procedure when she went into cardiac arrest), and it just shows to never take anyone for granted no matter what. Love who ya got, and love the time you have with them.

Anyway small rant over. Again, I hope you liked it!


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